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Instr Sci (2009) 37:495498 DOI 10.1007/s11251-009-9098-5
Received: 5 March 2009 / Accepted: 13 April 2009 / Published online: 23 April 2009 Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009
In this journal, Loyens and Gijbels (2008) recently edited an interesting and inspiring special issue on the effects of constructivist learning environments. In this commentary, I do not want to evaluate the specic strengths and shortcomings of the single contributions or of the special issue as a whole. Rikers et al. (2008) have already provided such a balanced evaluation of the special issues contributions. This commentary focuses on more fundamental issues. Actually, I want to claim that it is a paradox if constructivists talk about constructivist learning environments. I know that many readers will now think that my claim is a paradox. However, in the following I will show why my claim is not at all contradictory (see also Renkl 2008).
At this point, it is sensible to recapitulate what the core of constructivism is. Loyens and Gijbels (2008) have identied the following core assumptions:
the essence of constructivism is that students actively construct knowledge. In other words, the acquisition of knowledge is a process of knowledge construction (). The core element of this assumption is that learners interpret new information using knowledge that they have already acquired. Learners activate prior knowledge and try to relate new information to knowledge they already possess. By doing so, understanding subject matter is a function of knowledge construction and transformation, not merely information acquisition and accumulation (p. 352).
I fully agree with this characterization, at least with respect to meaningful learning: that is, learning that leads to conceptual understanding, transferable skills, and accelerated further learning. Some learning might not best be conceptualized as active sense-making and knowledge construction. Examples would be biologically primed learning processes (such as learning ones mother tongue; cf. Gearys (1995) concept of biologically primary abilities); processes of classical conditioning (e.g., when math word problems become associated with negative affective reactions), or strengthening processes in later stages of cognitive skill acquisition. However, with respect to meaningful learningand the special issue focuses on this type of learningthe core of constructivism consists of the
A. Renkl (&)
Institute of Psychology, University of Freiburg, Engelbergerstrae 41, 79085 Freiburg, Germany e-mail: [email protected]
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